Malawi’s Ministry of Health has revealed the alarming true scale of the country’s diabetes crisis, disclosing that nearly 79 percent of cases nationwide remain undiagnosed, as officials scramble to expand screening and treatment access — particularly for children living with the life-threatening condition.
Mbewe:Insulin shortages and single specialist expose gaps in Malawi’s diabetes care
Ministry of Health Public Relations Officer Benedicto Mbewe confirmed the government is taking urgent steps to decentralise diabetes services and bring essential medical supplies closer to patients, amid growing concern over the disease’s toll on the country’s youngest citizens.
According to International Diabetes Federation figures cited by Mbewe, an estimated 2,185 children and adolescents aged 0 to 19 are currently living with Type 1 diabetes in Malawi, while diabetes prevalence among adults aged 20 to 79 stood at 5.7 percent in 2024 — a figure linked to an estimated 2,960 adult deaths annually.
More recent data from the District Health Information System paints an even starker picture, putting the number of children and adolescents living with Type 1 diabetes at approximately 3,126 — though Mbewe warned the true figure could be significantly higher still.
Clinical audits cited by the Ministry reveal deeply troubling trends in how the disease is being caught and managed. Children are being diagnosed at a median age of just 10 years old, with a median glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) level of around 11.4 percent — dangerously high compared to recommended targets.
Shockingly, only 16 percent of children were found to have achieved reasonable blood sugar control.
In a startling admission of the scale of the resource gap, Mbewe confirmed Malawi currently has just one specialised paediatric endocrinologist serving the whole country — a staggering shortfall given the thousands of young patients requiring specialist care.
Mbewe attributed persistent shortages of insulin, syringes and testing strips at public hospitals to inadequate and unpredictable government funding, ongoing supply chain challenges, and continued heavy reliance on donor support to plug the gaps.
He revealed that the Central Medical Stores Trust manages to deliver only around 45 percent of hospital orders — a shortfall directly contributing to the availability crisis facing diabetic patients across the country.
Despite the grim picture, the Ministry says progress is being made. Seven new Type 1 diabetes clinics have been established under the PEN-Plus model, bringing the total number of supported clinics nationwide to 12, while health workers — including nurses who underwent specialised training abroad — have received dedicated instruction in managing diabetes and its complications.
The Ministry is also leaning on community outreach efforts, including radio listening clubs, patient support groups and dedicated diabetes camps for children, to boost awareness and education around the condition.
Officials say work is now underway to decentralise the distribution of insulin and glucometers to primary health centres, aiming to bring life-saving supplies significantly closer to patients in their own communities — a critical step, campaigners say, in tackling a disease that continues to claim thousands of lives across Malawi each year, many of them entirely preventable with proper diagnosis and treatment.
